Feb 04 2025

Virginia House of Representatives Passes Bill to Legalize Marijuana Sales 53 to 46

By a vote of 53 to 46, the Virginia House of Delegates today approved House Bill 2485 through its third and final reading.

The bill’s companion measure, Senate Bill 970, was passed by the Senate last week in a 21 to 19 vote. The legislation will soon head to Governor Glenn Youngkin, who has vowed to veto the measure. The legislature could override a veto, but only with a two-thirds majority.

House Bill 2485, along with its Senate counterpart, would establish a regulated retail marijuana market in Virginia, which remains the only one of the 24 states that have legalized marijuana but still prohibit retail sales.
Continue reading

Feb 04 2025

Pennsylvania Governor Gives Budget Address, Calls for Recreational Marijuana Legalization

Today, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro gave his annual budget address, in which he called for marijuana to be legalized.

“I ask you to come together and send to my desk a bill that legalizes adult-use cannabis and expunges the records of people who have been convicted for nonviolent possession of small amounts of marijuana,” said Shapiro. “I know some are going to say it’s complicated, but it’s been talked about for years. And just in the last two years, Ohio to our west, Maryland to our south, have legalized, and we keep falling further behind.”

Shapiro said “I’ve been heartened by the fact that more and more Republicans and Democrats are coming on board, embracing liberty and economic opportunity. Let’s get it done.”
Continue reading

Feb 04 2025

Survey Finds 62% in Texas Support Legalizing Recreational Marijuana, 79% Support Medical

A new poll from the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs finds that a majority of Texans favor marijuana reform, with strong support for both medical and recreational legalization.

According to the survey, 79% of Texans support legislation to legalize the sale and use of marijuana for a broad range of medical conditions with a doctor’s prescription. Recreational marijuana legalization also has majority support, with 62% in favor of allowing adults 21 and older to purchase and use marijuana in Texas.

Additionally, 69% back the decriminalization of marijuana possession, which would treat minor possession as a low-level offense similar to a traffic violation. Meanwhile, 55% of respondents support a proposed legislative ban on the sale of unregulated THC products, which have proliferated due to a loophole in a 2019 law focused on industrial hemp.
Continue reading

Feb 03 2025

Tennessee Lawmaker Files “Pot for Potholes” Act to Legalize Marijuana

Today, State Representative Aftyn Behn (D) introduced House Bill 703, known as the “Pot for Potholes Act,” in the Tennessee General Assembly.

This legislation proposes the establishment of a regulatory framework for the cultivation, processing, and retail sale of marijuana and marijuana products within the state, to be overseen by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

The bill outlines comprehensive guidelines for the marijuana industry, including licensing requirements for growers, processors, and retailers, as well as standards for product testing, labeling, and advertising. A notable aspect of HB 703 is its fiscal strategy: it designates tax revenues generated from marijuana sales specifically for infrastructure improvements, with a primary focus on repairing and maintaining Tennessee’s roadways.
Continue reading

Feb 03 2025

Montana Bill Would Require $200 ID Cards for Recreational Marijuana Purchases

A bill introduced today in the Montana Legislature would require adults to obtain a state-issued identification card before they can legally purchase recreational marijuana.

Montana State Capitol Building.

Senate Bill 255, sponsored by State Senator Greg Hertz (R), passed its first reading today in the Montana Senate. The measure proposes changing the law so that individuals 21 and older must apply for and receive a marijuana identification card from the state Department of Revenue before being allowed to buy recreational marijuana or marijuana products.

Under the bill, applicants would need to submit a form, pay a $200 fee, provide proof of Montana residency, and include personal details such as name, address, and date of birth. The ID card would be laminated, display identifying information, and include a photograph of the cardholder. It would also track purchases made with the card.
Continue reading

Feb 03 2025

Study: Microdosing Psilocybin May Reduce Neuroinflammation and Support Mental Health

A study published in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment shows that microdosed psilocybin may be an effective anti-inflammatory intervention for mental health and chronic inflammatory conditions.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

“The incidence of mental health disorders is increasing worldwide”, notes the study’s abstract. “While there are multiple factors contributing to this problem, neuroinflammation underlies a significant subset of psychiatric conditions, particularly major depressive and anxiety disorders.”

Anti-inflammatory interventions “have demonstrated benefit in these conditions”. Psilocin, the active ingredient of certain psychedelic mushrooms, is “both a potent serotonin agonist and anti-inflammatory agent, increases neuroplasticity, and decreases overactivity in the default mode network.”
Continue reading

Feb 03 2025

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Predicts State Supreme Court Will Reject New Marijuana Legalization Initiative

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says he doesn’t believe the renewed effort to place marijuana legalization on the 2026 ballot will survive legal scrutiny.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at a February 3 press conference (photo credit: Forbes).

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, DeSantis reiterated his opposition to placing marijuana legalization in the state constitution, just as he did with the 2024 measure that garnered majority support but failed to meet the required 60% approval threshold.

“There’s a lot of different perspectives on marijuana. It should not be in our constitution. If you feel strongly about it, you have elections for the Legislature”, said DeSantis. “Go back candidates that you believe will be able to deliver what your vision is on that.”
Continue reading

Feb 03 2025

New York’s Legal Marijuana Sales Reach $121 Million in January

New York’s legal marijuana market recorded $121.91 million in sales during January, according to data from the research firm Headset.

Flower led all product categories in January with $41 million in sales, followed by vapor pens at $34 million, pre-rolls at $21 million, edibles at $17 million, and concentrates at $4 million. Although there’s been a slight drop in recent months, prices in the state remain significantly higher than in many other legal markets, averaging $13 per gram for dried flower, $40 per eighth, and $51 for a gram of concentrates.

The $121.9 million sold in January is a notable increase over the $97 million sold in December.
Continue reading

Feb 03 2025

Washington Lawmakers to Hold Back-to-Back House and Senate Hearings on Psilocybin Legislation

Senate Bill 5201 and its companion, House Bill 1433, legislation that would establish a regulated psilocybin therapy program in Washington State, are both scheduled for public hearings on consecutive days.

The House Committee on Health Care & Wellness will hold a public hearing on House Bill 1433 on February 5 at 1:30 PM, followed by a hearing on Senate Bill 5201 in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 8:00 AM on February 6.

Introduced by Senator Jesse Salomon with support from eight cosponsors in the Senate, and filed by State Rep. Nicole Macri (D) with 29 sponsors in the House, the bills would create a structured framework allowing licensed facilitators to administer psilocybin in supervised settings. The Washington State Department of Health would oversee the program, with input from a newly formed Psychedelic Substances Board responsible for developing licensing requirements and safety protocols.
Continue reading

Feb 03 2025

Oregon: $76 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in January, Average Cost Per Gram Drops to All-Time Low of $3.50

There was just over $76 million in marijuana sold legally in Oregon in the first month of 2025.

In total, there was $76,262,002 in licensed marijuana sales in January, according to data released by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. This marks a slight decrease from the $78,562,441 sold in December.

Oregon’s all-time marijuana sales is now $7.26 billion. The average price of dried marijuana flower reached an all-time low in January, at $3.50 per gram of dried flower and $15.83 per gram for concentrates.
Continue reading